Timeline: Lakeland Police Department Problems

Thursday

Jun 20, 2013 at 12:01 AMJun 21, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Dec. 6, 2012: The Ledger requests "all Lakeland police reports, complaint affidavits, charging documents and any other official records" relating to Bernardo Copeland Jr. and six other teens charged in a Nov. 24 shooting and robbery. LPD Attorney Roger Mallory provided some documents but denied other records, citing exemptions involving juveniles and ongoing investigations. Mallory also said one report requested by The Ledger didn't exist, despite a reporter getting the report from another source.

Jan. 5, 2013: Asked about LPD's compliance with public records, Chief Lisa Womack said the department sometimes plays a "cat-and-mouse" game with the media when it comes to records but assured a reporter that was not the case with Copeland's records.

Jan. 25: Five Ledger reporters and an editor receive subpoenas to appear before a 10th Judicial Circuit grand jury. Days later, subpoenas are also served to city and police department officials, along with officials at the Polk County Sheriff's Office and Winter Haven Police Department.

Jan. 31: The reporters and editor testify before the grand jury. Over the course of several days, members of the Lakeland Police Department, Lakeland City Manager Doug Thomas and Mayor Gow Fields also give testimony. Womack was invited to address the grand jury, but declined to appear.

Feb. 14: The grand jury issues a presentment, which is a report of its findings. No criminal charges were filed. The presentment remained temporarily sealed from the public to allow for challenges. Lawyers representing several city employees challenge its release. The city won't identify the employees.

Feb. 22: LPD denies another public records request by The Ledger and says requested records do not exist. The case involves Reginald "Snooky" Enzor, 35, who is serving a life sentence for killing his wife. Months before the killing, Enzor beat a man unconscious with a sledge hammer in 2010.

March 14: LPD produces the Enzor records and blames the department's "antiquated" computer system problems finding them for The Ledger.

March 14: A hearing to challenge the grand jury's presentment is held in front of Chief Judge William Bruce Smith, and he keeps it sealed.

April 3: A mistrial after testimony by police Sgt. Felicia Wilson, coupled with what prosecutors called poor investigative work by other LPD officers, resulted in nine-time convicted felon Tonyo Evans getting a five-year sentence in a shooting case. State Attorney Jerry Hill sends two letters to Womack saying he would no longer accept sworn testimony from Wilson unless there is a corroborating witness, and he criticized the department for its investigative work in the case.

April 16: Wilson is reassigned to oversee LPD's Community Services Unit, replacing Greg Robinson, who had been on administrative leave since March while LPD investigated the theft of gift cards from the unit's Christmas program. Robinson is charged the following day with the theft and resigns three days later.

April 26: The Florida Department of Law Enforcement confirms it is conducting a criminal investigation into the actions of LPD employees and that it's work relates to two LPD internal investigations.

May 20: Jerry Monroe, a 13-year-veteran of the Lakeland Police Department, was charged with misdemeanor simple battery after being caught on a security camera hitting a teenager in the parking lot of a Papa John's Pizza in South Lakeland.

May 21: LPD refuses for almost two days to release a robbery suspect's full arrest report to The Ledger. The department eventually released the report after multiple requests and the involvement of Gregg Thomas, a Tampa media lawyer who represents the newspaper.

May 21: Sgt. Rusty Longaberger, who oversees the LPD school resource officer program, and Sgt. David Woolverton, who is in the department's traffic unit, are placed on administrative leave. Lt. Al Wilson, who oversees the department's traffic and special-operations unit, and Officer Scott Hutton, who is a motorcycle officer, are placed on modified duty. The actions, ordered by Womack, are part of a large, criminal and internal investigation the details of which are not yet open to the public, but relate to FDLE's investigation. Al Wilson is married to Sgt. Felicia Wilson.

May 23: Lakeland's legal bills climb to $150,000 in its fight to keep the grand jury presentment sealed.

May 24: LPD Attorney Roger Mallory is relieved of his duties involving the release of public records. He continues work on other law enforcement-related duties. The department announces the temporary hiring of former 2nd District Court of Appeal Judge Monterey Campbell to consult and assist with public records matters.

June 5: A State Attorney's Office investigator serves subpoenas to 10 members of LPD as part of an expanding criminal and internal investigation. The Ledger learns a member of the Lakeland Fire Department also is involved in the investigation.